


The Fourth Bead

by Winterstar



Series: This is battle; this is war. [6]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, BDSM, Bondage, Dom Tony, Dom/sub, M/M, Rimming, Sub Steve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-23
Updated: 2013-11-23
Packaged: 2018-01-02 09:41:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1055277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Winterstar/pseuds/Winterstar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve discovers what he needs, but is Tony ready for it? A timestamp for my series.</p><p>You do not need to read the rest of the stories to read this one  - it stands alone for most of the story.</p><p>  <i>“You smell delightful,” Tony says in a whisper and then very gently kisses the nape of his neck. He kisses and licks as he says, “JARVIS said you called, you’re ready and willing. Is that true?”</i></p><p>  <i>“Yes,” Steve says and he closes his eyes to feel the entirety of Tony’s actions, of his firm lips, of his seeking.</i><br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	The Fourth Bead

**Author's Note:**

> This is a time stamp for my series. I wanted to address the idea of Steve and Tony taking their exploration of the dominant/submissive verse beyond the bedroom. This is their first step along the way as I work on the longer story "The Lost Protocol". You can read this without reading the rest of the series - just read it as PWP and you'll be good. Enjoy!

It doesn’t always work; Steve’s come to accept this fact. Even with their controlled play and their continued exploration of a dominant submissive relationship in the bedroom, Steve knows it doesn’t always work for him. Tony always tries; it really isn’t his fault at all. Steve needs the release – and he gets it, he cannot deny how wonderful it is, how much solace and comfort he gets from releasing his control and sinking into the warm enveloped by the subspace Tony offers him.

Yet, to be chained, to be held captive, to be forced into inaction as they hide away on their paradise island lost somewhere far away from the viper’s nest, grates away at Steve’s nerves until he’s raw and frustrated with their delay. Tony recognizes the caged feeling Steve has, he’s made enough remarks about it, has fucked Steve into the mattress and gagged him and held him and done whatever Steve has asked for to sear away the energy not knowing what their next move might be against an unknown enemy. Nothing has worked, when he emerges from subspace there’s a disconsolate feeling shrouding everything in their tropical paradise, there’s the feeling that he’s become a prison of his own identity, there’s a need for action.

But they are not ready.

They have information and have been working in secret with Natasha to find out what is going on behind the scenes at SHIELD. SHIELD has been infiltrated, that much they know. The extent – they do not know. Natasha and Clint have been their saving grace, giving and finding out as much information as possible. The pair is in very real danger, but they handle it with a cunning that makes Steve proud of his team mates. 

When Tony and Steve heard about what happened in Greenwich and the re-appearance of Thor, both Tony and Steve thought SHIELD would follow through, but instead they only appeared on the scene as an afterthought, to clean up a mess. There were rumors, upon rumors. None of them good. Tony, Natasha, and Steve even conferred about whether or not it would be a good move to bring in Coulson’s team to understand there’s something rotten in Demark.

Natasha only shook her head and told them Coulson would find out soon enough, because Tahiti was not so much a magical place as he thought. The vague reference told Steve there was much they didn’t understand so they let it lie.

Still, Steve is at his wit’s end. He needs more; he needs to do something beyond swimming in the warm ocean for three hours a day, punching bags until they’re pulverized, and painting every day. He’s a man of action, not inaction. This sitting around is driving him over the edge and he cannot even dull his senses with alcohol – so he does what he can.

He strings three beads onto his anklet and finds Tony. They have –as of yet – not used the fourth bead. When they first started their play into dominant and submissive, they ventured into it without much education on either of their parts. Eventually, they both paid the price for it, but now they’ve worked out a system of beads. Steve has a beautifully leather woven anklet that he attaches beads to in a system to tell Tony what he would like. One bead is nice and easy, two brings it around to a bit more rough play, three leads to more intensive play while four – they haven’t really tried out four. One day, they will, he’s almost sure of it, but today he strings three beads and says to JARVIS, “JARVIS, I’m putting on the anklet with three beads, can you tell Tony please?”

“Yes, Captain Rogers. Shall I will blacken out the windows in the sunroom and tell him you will be waiting for him there?”

“In a bit, I want to put together something to eat first,” Steve says.

“Of course, just tell me when you are ready for me to inform, sir, of your schedule.”

“Thank you, JARVIS,” Steve says and finishes tying off the bead and puts it on. He enters the suite of rooms that Tony and Steve call their own in the house on Tony’s island. Steve cannot believe Tony owns an island – and according to him – this isn’t the only one. He shakes his head, some things are just too big, too odd, and too out there for him to wrap his head around these days. At least, he’s starting to understand some of the vernacular and the ways to interface with people. 

He’s already finished preparing a light snack of sandwiches of chicken salad and grapes on the side. He places a bottle of Riesling to chill and retrieves some wine glasses. There’s a bowl of chocolate covered strawberries and pineapple to be had as well. He puts all of these items on the glass and wrought iron table in the huge sunroom – which he estimates must measure 30 ft by 30 ft easily, plus it has a cathedral ceiling of stained light cherry wood. He cannot even fathom the cost of its construction alone.

He leaves everything in the sunroom and goes to prepare. It will take time, thus the reason he asked JARVIS to wait. 

“JARVIS?”

“Yes, Captain Rogers, are you ready-.”

“No, JARVIS, I would like privacy for the next thirty minutes or so?”

“Yes, sir. I will only monitor with sensors to detect stress or pain.”

Steve frowns a little, but he knows Tony will come running if he thinks Steve isn’t being safely watched at all times. They are both in danger now, all the time. “Fine, thanks.”

He enters the bathroom and strips. He leaves only the anklet on, and goes into the walk in shower. There’s a large skylight over the shower but it has fogged glass, yet the natural sunlight is nice as he scrubs his flesh to pink. He wants to be extra sensitive today. 

Once he completes his shower, he turns off the water and towels down efficiently. There’s part of the military that will never leave him. He goes into the bedroom and opens the drawer of his nightstand to find the small velvet bag Tony gave him recently. He opens the drawstrings and drops out the lubricant, dildos, and butt plug. He’ll work in the small dildo and then position in the butt plug. As he thinks about this, his senses heighten and he feels the drops of his blood into his cock as he swells. Just the thought of Tony’s reaction makes him smile.

He looks down and sees the soft tangle of hair around his erection. Going back in the bathroom, he spends some time trimming it carefully. He clips and cleans it away until he’s freshly shaved and bare. He’s never tried this before, but it will make him extra sensitive – what he’s looking for today. By the time he’s finished his cock is aching a bit and precome drips from the tip. He wonders if he should get the cockring to hold his orgasm but decides against it.

Instead, he goes back to the bedroom and drops some of the lube into palm. He settles on the bed with his feet firmly planted on the bed. He’ll start with the narrow dildo, he doesn’t want to delay too much. After he adds the lube to the shaft of the dildo, he positions it and starts to slide it inward. He groans because though it is the narrowest of the dildos they play with, it is still thicker than a single finger, much thicker. He pushes against the ringed muscle, his erection flagging a bit as he tries. Shivering, he thrusts forward and it hurts more than he thought it would.

He blinks away the white hot pain and tells himself to relax even as JARVIS comes on the line. 

“Captain Rogers, are you all right?”

He sighs – sometimes JARVIS is more trouble than he’s worth. “Fine.”

“Sir, I am sensing.”

“Go away.”

Immediately, there is silence and Steve feels terrible about it. He’ll have to apologize later. He rubs the razored area around his cock and it’s raw and fresh. It gives him the little ease he needs to get the dildo through the muscle and to work it. He shoves up and down until he hits the sweet spot. It’s good, the primitive feel of it, stroking against his prostate, sending spears of need and greedy desire through him. He inches toward the precipice. He could jump off, just allow himself to orgasm, but he hasn’t jerked himself off since he’s been with Tony. Tony doesn’t know it, or if he does, he hasn’t hinted that he knows that Steve refuses to grant himself permission for his own climax anymore. It is solely Tony’s – Tony owns it – it is part of how Steve feels about the situation.

He needs to stop, the stroking, rubbing, caressing, the slight burn of the shaven area. He has to end it before he’s a mess. He grabs hold of his cock and grips it at the base. It throbs purple and he hitches and arches against it. The need recedes and he slips the dildo out. Getting the butt plug situated is going to be difficult, so he returns to the drawer and pulls out his cock ring. He clamps it on, but has to rock back and forth on the bed as he thinks about Tony seeing him, touching him. 

Breathing a few times settles his need to a slow and ever increasing pulse. He lubes up the butt plug, positions it and pushes it in. Hanging his head he lets the bright white of desire flash over him, his body rolling into the want, the craving. Again, he breathes through it until he says, “JARVIS?”

“Captain Rogers, how may I help you?”

“Tell Tony to come, please?” He sounds desperate and needy. He doesn’t care.

“I’ve informed sir, he will be with you momentarily.” 

“Thank you, JARVIS.”

“At your service, Captain.” 

Steve smiles and realizes even the A.I. understands. He shakes his head; maybe JARVIS is a little bit too much like Tony in some ways. He adjusts, and then stands up. The ache in his ass is pleasant and thrilling. It sends little spikes of desire and want through him and he enjoys it. He submerges into the feeling, knowing subspace is closing in.

Walking to the sunroom he glances around the expansive room. There are chaise lounges, and throw rugs. There are stools and the wrought iron table with the food and some chairs next to it. A bar is in the corner, as are several other needed things for Tony – most of them technological. He knows from the ceiling Tony can retract some of the wood and the cuffs as well as the sex swing they set up will descend. He wonders if Tony will use that today. He’s not sure that’s what he’s looking for. 

He kneels on one of the stools and, for a second, feels like he’s in church waiting to make a confession. His cheeks warm and his body quavers in anticipation. His ass muscles pulsate around the plug and he groans in response. In the past, Tony’s used the swing sparingly. He connects Steve into it, binding his arms and wrists, setting his torso onto the lounge part of it and then locking his legs into the stirrups. He’s splayed out and open for Tony in the swing. He has no leverage and offers his body to Tony without much in the way of defense. 

Tony uses the whip on him when he’s trussed up in the swing. He strikes his abdomen and cock repeatedly. Just thinking of the hot flashes of pain warming his belly, boiling in his groin sends him into a full body roll that is only interrupted by the sounds of Tony’s voice.

“My, my, my,” Tony says as he saunters into the sunroom’s wide French doors from their bedroom. “You are a sight, babe. All clean and shaven, my beloved.”

“Tony,” he replies but his words are breathless and heavy.

Tony struts right up to Steve and looks down at him. “Stand up, can’t stand it sometimes when I can’t see your bulk.”

Steve struggles to stand because the plug is pressing hard against him and his cock his throbbing against his soft underbelly. When Steve does make it to his feet, Tony – still fully dressed in his black muscle shirt and jeans leans into him. He puts his whole body weight forward and Steve has no choice other than to hold onto him.

“You smell delightful,” Tony says in a whisper and then very gently kisses the nape of his neck. He kisses and licks as he says, “JARVIS said you called, you’re ready and willing. Is that true?”

“Yes,” Steve says and he closes his eyes to feel the entirety of Tony’s actions, of his firm lips, of his seeking. 

Without another word, Tony latches onto Steve’s neck, low next to the shoulder and sucks hard and fast until Steve thinks his legs might give out, until his cock jumps and begs between his legs. His balls are pulled tight and, for a moment, he wishes he put on the ball harness as well. Tony’s hand finds his cock and he squeezes lightly, not enough to hurt but enough to warn. 

Steve moans and shivers in response.

“I’m going to suck you off now,” Tony says as he moves away. “You’re allowed to come, once and only once. So, give it your all because this is the only time you’ll come for a while, okay, babe?”

“Yes.” Steve looks away.

“Color?”

“Green.”

“I see there are three beads, today.” Tony says as he slowly guides Steve over to one of the lounges. “I have something a little different planned.”

“Different?” Steve can’t help it; he looks up hopefully to where the swing is housed. He’d thought he didn’t want it, but just the thought of it arouses him. He wants it badly, he wants to be held in its confines and not have leverage to break away – though he knows logically he could rip apart the leather if he needs to – he likes the fact he can’t just push off and break it away.

Tony follows his line of sight and smiles as he peers back at Steve. “Oh, you want the swing?”

Steve doesn’t reply just follows the hands as he’s placed on the lounge. Tony reaches down under the lounge chair and flips up the leather cuffs. He binds Steve’s wrists to the sides of the lounge and quietly kisses him as he finishes. He trails kisses down Steve’s body, to his flank but leaves his cock wanting and leaking as he goes. As he drops off the lounge chair, he pulls out the bindings for Steve’s ankles and locks him to the legs of the chair as well. 

“Comfortable?” Tony asks.

“Hmm,” Steve says. He doesn’t really want to talk. He just wants to feel and sink into the wash of subspace as he does. 

“I need words, babe,” Tony says.

“Green,” Steve says and closes his eyes for a moment. It feels good to be under Tony’s control. To allow this – this release of all of his worries to another – he needs this just to function sometimes.

Tony pets his thighs and then bends over him to engulf his cock. His lips are warm and soft with little resistance. Tony keeps his mouth wide open so as not to give Steve enough friction, and he doesn’t suck, just lazily works his tongue around the head of Steve’s cock. Without the ability to use his hands, Steve is at Tony’s mercy when it comes to his cock. He bites back his frustration as he pushes his hips forward into Tony’s mouth. Tony very firmly, but with a tender touch, places his hands on Steve’s hips to still him.

He looks up and says, “I’m gonna blow you, just let the feeling of it wash over you. You’re a little too excited for it.” He bends down again and licks up the shaved areas of Steve’s groin which elicits a full grunt from Steve. “I love what you’ve done here.” He digs in, scratching at the newly bared areas and Steve arches his back and murmurs little nonsense sounds.

“Flow with it, babe,” Tony says and he starts again. He’s tentative and easy about it, not forcing the issue, not doing anything but rolling his tongue along the length of Steve’s erection. Every now and then he bends further down and teases his balls and Steve has to squeeze his eyes closed against the stimulation. His balls are heavy and needy. The twisted spring of desire tightens in his belly and he growls. He doesn’t want to go off without Tony’s mouth around him. He doesn’t want to come unless Tony tells him.

“Please,” Steve says as he fists his hands and the butt plug feels like it’s expanded –widened his ass as his balls continue to tense with increased encouragement. 

“Soon, babe, soon. I’m gonna want to tie you up, bind you good. And then I’m going to use you, show you how to let everything go once you’re all tied up. You want that?”

Steve doesn’t know what Tony’s referring to, he’s is tied up. He’s there. The plug scrapes inside of his ass and he whimpers as his cock leaks but Tony refuses to give it attention as he suckles at Steve’s balls. The absence of hair makes everything more sensitive, makes the flesh raw and new and the feelings savage as Tony glides his nails along the inside of Steve’s groin. 

Tony slowly inches back up to Steve and lies against his legs. He dips down and encompasses Steve’s cock. It is at first lazy and sloppy, enough to drive Steve to the edge of anger but then just as Steve’s about to say something, Tony latches on, much like he sucked against Steve’s neck. He moves his jaw in quick motions to encourage the flow of blood and it pulsates a spear of fire into Steve’s groin to flare into his belly and judder his heartbeat. 

He makes noises that are wrapped into sounds like a pained animal. His world fizzles and he blinks a few times trying to focus. He can’t help the buildup, but he still has the cock ring on. It constricts him and then Tony has his hands on the plug, pulling it out and, for a moment, Steve thinks he’s going to take it out entirely, but he doesn’t. He shoves it back in and times it to suck on Steve’s cock at the same time. He gulps downward and Steve feels the head of his cock hit the back of Tony’s throat. He even feels a slight gag of Tony as he pushes farther in. It jets him higher and farther afield. 

He shakes his head back and forth, feels drool wet the side of his face as he tries to pump and Tony lets him. He lets him thrusts into Tony’s mouth with abandoned. He uses what leverage he can bond to the chair. Tony pulls off just as Steve sets up a rhythm and he can’t help but cry out. Tony moves to pull the plug out as well. Steve jerks his hands, but he’s bound and cannot stop him. As the plug falls out, Tony bends in and licks long and wet against, in and around Steve’s ass.

“Too much, too much, too much,” Steve says and thinks how is this a three bead play? Because it isn’t, there’s nothing rough, just sensual and a little kinky. How will he handle what Tony still has in store?

Tony’s wet warm tongue pokes into him and Steve groans and his body rolls in waves of shudders. Just as he’s over the edge, just as the threat of pain overwhelms, Tony takes Steve’s cock in hand again and bends it to his mouth. It is almost painful in the bend, but then Tony’s warm wet beautiful mouth goes into action, his deft hands release the cock ring and Steve’s coming as Tony fingers his ass as he sucks down. He milks the semen and Steve’s blacks out only to white out immediately following as Tony teases at his prostate. Tony keeps it up until Steve’s hips hitch and tug against his bindings, until Steve feels himself orgasming with little come spilling out. 

Tony looks up and smiles, his grin just over Steve’s spent cock. “Milked you dry.”

Steve can’t say anything. He’s panting and deliciously tired. But he knows this is just beginning – Tony hasn’t gotten off yet and he’s wearing an anklet with three beads. This is just the start. 

“Oh babe,” Tony says and drags his fingers just so his nails catch along Steve’s fine muscled form. He dives in and kisses Steve fully, leaving him breathless and gasping when he parts from him. “Now, I’m gonna tie you up.”

“Hmm?” He cannot form coherent words just yet.

Tony staggers up; it is nice to see him a little off balance as he stands. “Have you ever heard of the Japanese art of Kinbaku?”

Steve indicates no.

Tony disappears into the bedroom and comes back with a small wooden box. He opens it and reveals a line of cord. “This is a special rope for Kinbaku. It’s called jute.”

“Oh,” Steve says as Tony places the rope back in its box and then comes over to undo Steve’s bonds. In seconds, Steve is free and Tony helps him to sit up. 

“Water?”

“Please.”

Tony brings some over from the small refrigerator and bar area of the sunroom. He opens the bottle and holds it for Steve. Steve eyes him and opens his mouth. He drinks the water until Tony takes it away. “Enough?”

“For now.”

Tony smiles at his answer and moves back to the rope. “I’ve been studying Kinbaku which can be very beautiful and almost meditative. I would like to do this to you. I will not leave the room while you are tied. I will stay within at least a ten foot radius of you. While you are tied though, the only thing I will allow you to say is a color.”

“Okay.”

“I will not try anything like erotic asphyxiation because we still need to work that out between the two of us. I will fuck you and I may gag you while you are tied at some point. How do you feel about that?” Tony says and offers him more water.

Steve shakes his head. “Intrigued. But I don’t see how this is a three bead-.”

“I’m planning on tying you up for hours, babe.”

“Hours?”

“At least four, I would like to do it for ten, but I think we have to work up to that,” Tony says.

This stutters in Steve’s brain. He’s not sure he can surrender control of everything, of himself and his body for four hours, let alone ten. He’s willing to try. “How about we start with two hours?”

“Three.”

Steve shakes his head and smiles. “Always cutting a deal, Stark?”

“Something like that, I think you’ll like this, plus it will take at least an hour to get all the ropes tied and on. Right now I am going to count that hour because we’re new to this – later – if you like it – we won’t.”

“If we like it,” Steve corrects.

Tony chuckles and leans in for a kiss. It is smooth and full and heats Steve until he relaxes the muscles he hadn’t known he’d tensed. 

“Let’s do this,” Tony says and leads Steve over to an open part of the floor with a plush rug. He pulls along a small hassock as well. The hassock is low enough that Steve can bend over it and still touch his elbows to the floor. “This will just make things a little more comfortable at some points. Do you need to use the bathroom or eat before we start?”

“I’m good.”

“Okay, remember from the time I put the ropes on until I take them off the only thing you can do is say a color unless I directly say otherwise,” Tony warns.

Steve nods, readying himself, trying to find the still and silent well within that he’s used on covert missions before. 

Tony inhales and then exhales. “Here we go, color?”

“Green.”

Tony nods and places Steve hunched over the stool, kneeling on the floor. He begins by having Steve put his hands behind his head in a prayer formation. He starts the ropes and, though Steve cannot see him when he’s knotting and tying them off from behind, it is an interesting process. As he works he’s quietly intense. It reminds Steve of Tony’s absolute focus when he’s in his lab, when he’s inventing. Tony funnels into one thing while he’s working and that same concentration streaks through Tony’s expression now. He considers each knot, each wrap of the rope as he works. 

He continues his task but his hands as they grace over Steve’s naked form are gentle and giving. It heats and warms and brings a soft haze over Steve that is more than just subspace. Even as his body is stressed by the position of his hands behind his head, he finds a certain relaxation in the feel of the jute against his flesh, in the ghosting of Tony’s hands over his skin. 

Once Tony completes his work, Steve’s head is positioned upward and he cannot move it very much against the bonds. His arms are behind his head and his legs are bound to a kneeling position but splayed open and apart. He knows there’s a length of rope threaded between his ass cheeks and looped carefully around his growing erection but it doesn’t hurt. 

“Color?”

“Green.”

“Sometimes this involves gags, but since this is the first time we’re doing this, I don’t think I’ll do it, though I think we can consider it later.” Tony shrugs off his shirt and slips off his jeans. His dick is hard and thick and just the look of it sends Steve into a roll of yearning but his bonds won’t permit it and the rope scrapes against his flesh sending barbs of pain and need and hunger all at once. “Uh, getting it, now aren’t we?” Tony smirks and turns around. Steve can hear him doing something. He presses his thumb against the rope that threads down Steve’s ass, pushing it to the side. Without much warning, Tony shoves his entire length into Steve’s ass. Steve hitches and gasps in response.

Steve grunts but takes it as Tony fucks him brilliantly and without pause. It’s furious, full, and dense in its power. Steve wants to grab onto something, but he can’t – his hands are tied behind his head. He grits against the throb in his ass, feels the grate of the ropes against his sensitive skin, the raw rubbing of the jute against his ass, his balls, his cock. The pace is fervent and hungry, almost too visceral in its power to measure. Steve can’t move against Tony, yet his whole body slides against the ropes, the jute abrading against his nipples, against his flesh, against his newly shaved groin to set sparks and elicit need.

“Don’t come,” Tony commands and he spills into Steve with a violent thrust that nearly gags Steve and blots out the room in a blast of tension. Tony doesn’t pause, doesn’t stop, just quickly disengages and moves away. He pets a hand down Steve’s head, checks the ties of the rope, and offers him more water. 

Steve drinks it and then Tony brushes a kiss against his lips. “I’m going to read for a bit. Color?”

“Green.”

Tony smiles and picks up one of the several tablets left around the house. He throws himself in a casual fall of lean limbs and muscles on the lounge and flips open the tablet. He spends a good half hour reading through something on the tablet until he gets up and checks out the food Steve prepared. 

He pours himself some wine, drinks the entire glass, and then fills it again. When he passes Steve as he goes back to the lounge, he strokes his hand through his hair. “More water, you can answer.”

“Yes, please.”

Tony offers it to him and he drinks his fill. When he finishes Tony kisses him and then leaves him to the stool as he settles back onto the lounge. He looks perfectly natural and completely handsome naked and sated. He drinks the wine and sets the glass aside. He runs through several schematics with JARVIS. It doesn’t escape Steve’s notice that Tony doesn’t work on their current project of who is infiltrating SHIELD. Nonetheless Tony does get engaged in the discussion with JARVIS on cloaking and the Iron Man armor.

Steve decides it is the perfect opportunity to get a feel for his own well-being. Watching Tony work nude is a turn on, but at the same time, the ropes binding him, holding him remind him of Tony, each knot like a pressure into his flesh recalling the thrust and feel of Tony in him. He finds he likes the feel of the rope as it scrapes his ass as Tony’s come leaks out of his ass. He’s messy but he finds he likes it, because he is completely and totally Tony’s at this point. He feels the flush of embarrassment, the idea that he needs to be controlled by someone else that he wants to capitulation his mind and welfare to someone else cows him in some corner of his mind. He doesn’t care; he’d only care if he didn’t trust the person. He trusts Tony. 

His erection wanes as he waits on Tony and finally Tony turns to him and asks, “Color?”

“Green.”

“You’ve been tied for a good hour and forty-five minutes, Captain, you’re doing well. Would you like more water?”

“I’m good.”

Tony nods and comes over to check on Steve. He strokes his hands down his flank and it feels like icy fire. Cool fingers set fire in his groin. Tony notes Steve’s half-mast erection and stokes him a few times, gripping his erection until he’s hard and aching again. The motion moves the knots Tony positioned near Steve’s nipples and jars them just enough to spike and prickle fire in his flesh.

Once Steve is panting heavily and he straining against the ropes, Tony leans in and kisses his temple. “You’re doing so good, sweetheart. Should I untie you?”

“No,” Steve says but his voice is rasped and hoarse.

“Color.”

“Green.”

“We’ll go another hour and check in, okay?”

Steve nods. He can feel his fingers starting to numb from their position above his head. Somehow he telegraphs it to Tony and, though it might not alleviate it all the way, Tony slowly and meticulous eases Steve off of the stool and onto the floor. He’s lying on his side. It might help a bit, but Steve isn’t sure. 

“I’m putting you there for a half hour, then I’m going to put you back up on the stool and fuck your mouth,” Tony says. 

While Steve lies on his side, Tony curls up next to him with his arm flung over Steve and instantly drops off to sleep. This position is infinitely harder than over the hassock because his one arm is bend under him but still tied up. He shifts and tries to find a better position which wakes up Tony.

“Color?”

“Pea green.”

“I didn’t know we were doing tones – does that mean we’re walking the line of yellow?”

“Yes.”

“What’s wrong?”

“My arms.”

Tony sits up and studies Steve. “Do you want to go back up on the stool or would you like to change the position of your arms?”

Steve thinks that changing the position of his arms right now will negate everything. His arms are tense, the fatigue in his muscles significant. He doesn’t want to change that right now, the burn of it, of the lactose building in his muscles feels cathartic. “Back up on the stool, please.”

It takes some effort, but Tony’s able to get him back onto the stool. “Okay?”

“Green.” Steve lapses back into their agreed upon communication. 

Tony frowns and says, “Well, now I can’t cuddle you and nap.”

Steve can’t say anything so he remains still watching Tony as he pulls some pillows from the chairs and lies back on the plush throw rug. He folds his arms behind his head and says, “You know our cleaning bill is outrageous.” He sniggers. “We are going to have to find a better way to clean up or a better material.” He considers it and says, “Have to study that while I am figuring out a decent material for Bruce’s pants. That is one dong I do not want to see.”

Steve suppresses a smile as Tony yawns. On instinct he says, “Yellow.”

Immediately, Tony sits up. “What? What is it?”

“Sleep, Tony. I’ll wake you if there’s a problem.”

“I don’t think that’s proper edict, Steve.”

“JARVIS can monitor me; he’ll wake you as well.”

“You’re sure?”

“You haven’t slept more than a few hours a day since we got here, I’m sure.”

Tony tilts his head and glances over his stressed body. “Thirty minute cat nap, JARVIS.”

“I will wake you, sir.”

Tony snuggles down on the floor and closes his eyes. Steve can’t see his whole form because of the angle of his head, but he can feel Tony’s presence close to him. Tony moves his leg to butt up against Steve’s foot. While Tony sleeps Steve allows the burn of the strenuous give of muscles and tendons to dominant his mind. He checks each joint, the stress and strain, he slightly pulls at tendons and ligaments and notices how Tony tied the ropes just to strain not to sprain. It feels deliciously confining yet liberating at the same time. To have this over him – it feels like a cloak of Tony’s arms all around him. 

When it gets close to a half hour, Steve says, “JARVIS, allow Tony another thirty minutes.”

“Sir specifically commanded thirty minutes only.”

“You can monitor me, if there’s an issue you will know. He needs the sleep.”

“He does.”

“Yes, he does. Do we have an agreement?”

“Sir should never have allowed you such access to my override and programming.”

“But he did.” 

“Yes, he did.”

The thirty minute time hits and JARVIS only asks Steve for a color. He says green and they leave Tony undisturbed. Steve drifts into the feel of the constricting ropes around him, allows it to take over his senses. Steve zones onto the feel of the heat in his muscles, the pressure as the tendons, as the sinew stretch and contract under the bonds. He’s heady with it by the time JARVIS wakes Tony. He’s lost in the feel of it.

“JARVIS, time?”

JARVIS answers but Steve really doesn’t hear it, he’s too focused on the ropes, his body’s harmonic strings against it, and Tony, Tony’s voice. It is all he cares about, all he wants to care about. 

“God damn it, Steve.” Tony says and it jerks him out of his reverie. “You let me sleep for an hour.”

Steve doesn’t answer, he’s not supposed to answer, he likes it right now, right here with the feel of the bindings, with his life less controlled by him and completely controlled by Tony. 

Tony slips a hand under Steve’s chin and cups it. “Jesus, you are so totally into this, aren’t you? You are off the deep end.”

Steve lets it wash over him; his nerves have become one vibrating raw fiber of primal energy. He’s fallen into a rich feeling of body and presence and of Tony. He can smell the musk and sex of Tony and he wants so badly he simply opens his mouth. 

Tony isn’t erect, but he answers Steve’s offer by placing his penis in Steve’s mouth. He hisses at the warmth of Steve’s tongue against his flesh and Steve works his tongue along Tony’s length. He suckles to the base but cannot move his head with enough freedom to direct the fellatio. Even in this Tony must take the lead and so Steve submits, he allows his head to be moved, his jaw to be positioned. It is Tony who pulls out as he hardens so that Steve may lick the crown of the head of his dick. It is Tony who holds his dick so that Steve plays with his tongue along the slit until he moans and Tony shoves it back in with a force that drives Steve to open his throat and accept it all.

“Take it, take it all.” Tony grabs his head and jerks his hips into Steve, the bundle of hair at Tony’s groin pushes up against Steve’s face. He breathes it in and drowns in the musk. Tony clutches onto Steve hair, tugging on it, drives his pelvis forward and becomes crazed as Steve takes it all, gulping for more, sucking and working his tongue for more.

Steve haze builds, he cannot feel his fingers or his toes anymore. He cannot approximate where his limbs are. Everything tingles and burns and explodes in rapid succession. He wants more and whines as Tony thrusts, as the pressure of each push and heave of hips against him jolts sore muscles and tendons, as it stretches and yanks against tired sinews. He wants more, he needs more and Tony’s almost there.

“I’m gonna come,” Tony says and swear under his breath. He slows for a seconds to halt it. “You want to swallow or you-.”

He looks down at Steve and, with that, Steve opens his mouth wide to drop Tony.

“Oh, okay, babe, you’re allowed to come when I do this, okay?”

Steve doesn’t answer just moans as the anticipation grows in his belly, as Tony slips his hand over his dick and smears the precome leaking onto the shaft. “Gonna mark you, babe.”

Tony jerks at his dick, fast and efficient but it’s beautiful to see his dick hot and red and purple throbbing before Steve, just inches away. The pulse of the dick in front of him, the rhythm of Tony’s strong but lean hands over his erection twists into a hot coil in Steve. He watches and tries to grind his hips against the ropes to the motions of Tony’s strokes. Spurts of precome drip out and Steve hangs his tongue at the thought of the taste of it. He centers on it, stares at it, and Tony explodes over his hand and across Steve’s face. Just as the hot semen splatters across his eyes and touches his open mouth, lands on his tongue, Steve shudders and he comes in a great flood against the jute. 

He’s not sure what happens next because his whole body goes into shivering and shaking against the bindings. He’s groaning and crying out as the pain mixes with the pleasure and he wants it to stop but he never wants it to stop. It is perfect in its balance and scale. The crystalline pleasure with its sharp edge of pain eases doubts and worries and delivers him into the cradle of Tony’s offered peace, Tony’s haven – this subspace.

Before he knows it, Tony is moving him, adjusting him and the ropes are slowly disappearing. With each knot gone, Tony kisses and soothes his skin and muscles. As he works, he says, “JARVIS, run the bath, please. Oils and fragrances as in program Ropes one.”

“Yes, sir.”

As the ropes fall away and Tony guides Steve’s arms from their awkward position behind his head, he whines a little because of the pain. 

“Shush, shush, I know it hurts.” Tony works hands into the muscle and continues to massage away each ache and the shooting rebellion of his muscles. He always kisses; he never stops with his hands. Tony has such talented hands. Steve wonders for a moment, who the real artist is.

“Come, can you stand?”

“I think,” Steve says.

“If you can’t, I can go get the armor to pick you up.”

Steve smiles at that but shakes his head. His legs wobble under him, but Tony’s able to direct him up the few stairs to the bedroom and the en suite bath. He leads Steve into the tub, stepping in with him because of how large it is.

“Settle down.”

He groans as he lays back into the water, as the heat envelops him and he closes his eyes.

“How are you?” Tony says and kisses his lips. He’s in Steve’s lap.

“Good,” Steve says and knows Tony wants more. He opens his eyes and lifts his leg to place on the side of the tub. It feels like it is a thousand pounds. “I want the fourth bead, Tony.”

Tony stops his trail of kisses along Steve’s neck. He searches Steve’s expression, gazes into his eyes. “Are you sure, do you-.”

“I understand it means giving up total control to you,” Steve says. He swallows. “In everything until I take the anklet off.”

“I don’t think we should talk about this while you’re still in subspace,” Tony says and sidles up against Steve in the wide tub. It is as large as a hot tub. 

“I think it is the perfect time to talk about it,” Steve says, the miasma of it, the mist of the subspace fills his senses yet at the same time causes everything to be sharp and defined in his head about what should matter right now, for now. He wants to forget everything for a while. “Can you do it, Tony? Are you ready for it?” He worries he’s asked too much. For Steve to take the fourth bead means Tony is in control and he can’t relent and break down. He has to take control and responsibility for both of them.

Tony considers him, his eyes dark with desire even after their play. His fingers track down Steve’s body, touching upon the marks left like impressions in the sand along Steve’s body from the knots. “For a short while, I think I can, but I have to ask for something.”

“What’s that?”

“I’m allowed to take the anklet off if I need to,” Tony says.

The anklet has always been under Steve’s control. This is a concession but one Steve can do for this. “For the fourth bead, I think that’s appropriate.”

“Okay,” Tony says. “I think we can try it out.”

Steve inhales and then slowly exhales before he says, “Now?”

“Steve?”

“Please, Tony, I don’t want to exit this place, this haven you’ve given to me. I want to stay here for a while. I need to,” Steve says. He doesn’t want his fears invading on their love, on their peace.

Tony stands and steps out of the tub. He disappears without a word but comes back minutes later with the bead. He holds it in his hand. It is small but made of vibranium. It is colored red and gold. “You’re sure.”

“Yes,” Steve says and his heart pounds a wicked beat in his chest. 

Tony kneels on the floor and leans over Steve’s leg that’s up on the side of the tub. It takes some doing because wet leather isn’t easy to manipulate, but Tony gets the bead on and ties it off. “JARVIS?”

“Yes, sir?”

“Protocol fourth bead.”

“Yes, sir.”

Steve slips his leg back in the water and wonders about the protocol Tony just ordered JARVIS to initiate. He can’t ask, not with the bead on his anklet. He’s under Tony’s control and he must trust Tony implicitly. He lets it drop and finds it easy to do so because he trusts him.

With a washcloth, Tony cleans Steve up, his face, his arms, his legs. He works quietly and doesn’t say much until he soaks next to Steve and says, “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“When we get out of the tub, I want you to make love to me,” Tony says and for some reason it sounds a little lost and a lot more scared.

“Always, Tony.”

Tony finds Steve’s hand in the water and folds it into his. Their hands laced together, Tony brings it up to his scarred chest where the reactor no longer resides.

Steve lifts his anklet out of the water. “I’m yours forever, Tony. With or without this.” 

This eases the tension on Tony’s face and he leads them out of the tub. He tells Steve to towel them dry and Steve follows direction. They both cuddle in bed and then Steve finds his way around Tony’s body. Light and beautiful, and soft and hard, the strength of abused muscles and the tension of stressed nerves fall away as they move together, as Steve penetrates Tony. They come in a brace of emotions, both gasping for air and weak from their exertions. When they huddle around one another, Tony kisses Steve and tells him he loves him again.

Steve picks his way from the bed and brings the food over to them. He feeds Tony silently, pouring the wine and offering it to him. He keeps his eyes lowered and his demeanor tender. When Steve is satisfied that Tony’s eaten enough, he feeds himself and then sets the plates aside. They slides back own under the covers.

“Color?” Tony asks.

“Verdant.”

Tony laughs. “You’re going to be the death of me.”

“I certainly hope not.”

Tony rolls over and whispers into Steve’s ear, “My heart, my heart, my heart.”

With those words Steve surrenders to Tony heart and soul.

THE END

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked! DFTBA!


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